4WD fatality may spark tougher measures

Queensland's Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says tougher vehicle restrictions may be needed following the death of a tourist in a four-wheel drive rollover.

14 December 2009By Petrina Berry

An alternative "people mover" on Fraser Island is needed to prevent further four-wheel drive deaths, locals of the world's largest sand island say.

A hired Landcruiser carrying eight Japanese tourists overturned on the island's Eastern Beach on Sunday, killing one man and injuring three women and four men.

It is believed the driver swerved to avoid a hazard on the sand.

A police spokeswoman said the vehicle was registered to carry nine people but it was unclear how much luggage it was carrying.

Of the injured, one was discharged from hospital on Monday while the others remain in hospital in stable and good conditions, including one recovering at the Royal Brisbane Hospital's intensive care ward.

Queensland's Transport Minister Rachel Nolan says she'll look into whether the island needed tougher vehicle restrictions than what is planned to be rolled out next year.

But locals say there is an over-emphasis on four-wheel drives.

"There needs to be more than just driver competence and driver safety measures," Fraser Island Defenders Organisation spokesman John Sinclair told AAP.

"There needs to be an alternative people mover. We have been proposing a light rail system for international visitors for years."

The state opposition has blamed the poor conditions of the island's internal roads.